Toy projectile with self-contained parachute



R- G. WEND March 30, 1965 TOY PROJECTILE WITH SELFCONTAINED PARAGHUTE Filed Aug. 27, 1962 2 m Z 123% did United States Patent M 3,175,327 TOY PROJECTILE WITH SELF-CONTAINED PARACHUTE Richard G. Wend, Rte. 5, 2472 N. Gates, Modesto, Calif. Filed Aug. 27, 1962, S91. No. 219,573 3 Claims. (Cl. 46-86) This invention relates to an aerial toy, and has as its primary object the provision of a toy comprising a figure in simulation of a space flyer or the like, which is adapted to be propelled upwardly by a sling, an elastic, or similar means, and which will descend by means of a parachute, which opens automatically at the top of its flight.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which will afiord relatively high entertainment value to a child, and which may be proelled upwardly with a minimum of effort and difiiculty, and which includes a self-contained parachute which automatically opens at the top of its flight.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character wherein the parachute may be rerolled and repositioned in the hollow body of the toy with a minimum of effort and difficulty.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be inexpensively and simply manufactured, and sold at a relatively low cost.

Other objects reside in the combinations of elements, arrangements of parts, and features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a view of the toy in launching position associated with a launcher, which, in this illustrative embodiment may comprise a stick having an elastic secured thereto.

FIGURE 2 is a view of the toy at approximately the top of its flight, the parachute holding door and the cords of the associated parachute being shown in dotted lines in open position.

FIGURE 3 is a view of the toy falling with the parachute fully open.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of one form of figure employed with the toy.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 6 is a view taken substantially along the line 66 of FIGURE 4 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the toy of the instant invention is generally indicated at 10, and comprises a head portion 11 in general simulation of the helmeted head of a space flyer or astronaut, the head including a recessed chin portion 12, the purpose of which will be more fully described hereinafter, and a body 13. The body 13 has a relatively solid top portion 14 adjacent the neck 15, and a hollow light body 16 including a rearwar-dly upwardly inclined bottom 17, a front wall 18 and side walls 19. The side walls 19 are provided with rearwardly extending protuberances or bosses 20, which are apertured as at 21 to accommodate the ends of a pivot or hinge 22 which is secured to the top portion of a rear door 23, which extends the full length of the open back of the body. An arcuate shield 17a is provided adjacent the back opening so that a parachute, to be described hereinafter, will not be placed too close to the back 3,175,327 Patented Mar. 30, 1965 opening, thus precluding premature opening of the parachute.

An elastic band of relatively light quality 25 is secured at one end 26 to an intermediate point on the door 23, passes with a slight kink over the hinge 22, and at its other end, is secured toa pin 27, the latter being secured to the back of the head 11. The elastic band serves normally to bias door 23 to open position. When not in use, the device may be held in closed position by means of an elastic band 28 which encircles the body, and holds the rear door 23 in closed position.

A parachute 30 having secured thereto a number of parachute cords 31 is adapted to be rolled interiorly of the hollow body 16. The rolling of the parachute is important to the proper functioning of the toy, and it is basically essential that the parachute be folded upwardly between the side walls 19, and adjacent the top of the hollow or cavity interiorly of the body. In practice, it has been found that if the toy is placed between the knees and the ends of the parachute are grasped in the two hands, the parachute is rolled downwardly and then folded and reinserted back inside the hollow body, an effective rolling is achieved. The ends of cords 31 are attached as at 32 to a point inside and adjacent the lower extremity of doors 23.

The inclined bottom 17 has a tilt at an angle of about to with the front Wall. The force of shooting the device upwardly forces the parachute 30, due to its inertia, relatively downwardly against the: inclined bottom. The angularity of the bottom causes the downwardly moving parachute to be urged towards the closed front wall 18 of the device. This crowding of the parachute towards the front wall eliminates premature opening of door 23.

In the use and operation of the device a looped elastic band 35 attached to a stick 36 is positioned beneath the chin 12 of the head 11, and the rubber band holding the door 23 closed is removed, finger pressure being exerted on the lower end of the door and front wall 18 to retain the door closed. The elastic is then stretched and the body propelled upwardly by means of the elastic, which serves as a sling. During its upward flight, the head will be held upwardly, by means of any suitable weight 37, which is positioned interiorly thereof to insure a uniform angle of upward flight. At the top of the flight, the door, which has previously been held closed by air pressure on the outside of door 23 induced by the velocity of the object propelled upwardly and the inclined bottom 17 and shield 17a, will be opened by the elastic 25, pulling the parachute cords 31 outwardly as shown in FIGURE 2, which in turn will serve to release the parachute. Premature ejection of the parachute is prevented by the arcuate shield 17a above described. The exposed parachute will then open as shown in FIGURE 3, and permit the device to fall gently back to earth.

The device may then be recovered, and the parachute rerolled in the manner previously indicated, and the toy, after the band 28 is repositioned thereon, is ready either for reuse, or storage until required again.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided a simplified aerial toy, including a selfcontained parachute which automatically opens at the top of the flight thereof, which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and high entertainment value.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiment hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

3 I claim: 1. An aerial toy comprising a figure in simulation of a man, comprised of (l) a solid head and shoulder portion including a chin forming a protuberance and'an adjacent neck forming a recession adapted for the reception of a longitudinally upwardly directed hand-held propelling sling member to launch the .toy upward in head first relation,

(2) a longitudinally extending block-like hollow body portion integral with and tapering inwardly away from the shoulders' of said head and shoulder portion, and terminating in a planar bottom wall completely closing the end of said body portion,

(3) a planar door with hinge means adjacent the rear of said shoulder portion, said door extending to said bottom wall so as to completely close the back of the hollow body portion, and so as to be swingable upwardly and away from said hollow body portion,

(4) a light contractable elastic band means fastened to and extending from the back of the head portion, then kinked overthe hinge means of the door and then passing along the outside of the door and finally fastened to and terminating in a medial portion of said door,

(5) an added Weight means securely held within the outline of said head portion of such magnitude as to insure a uniform angled upright figure position during the ascending flight, and a lifelike simulation of a flying object during descending flight,

(6) and a rolled and the serpentine configurated parachute normally packed in the hollow portion of said body and having cords attached to the inside of the bottom of said door.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein the bottom wall of J of the latter,

(1) said shield having a trough-like arcuate top smoothly merging with the side walls of said hollow body portion,

(2) said shield aiding in precluding premature release and opening of said parachute.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,599,280 9/26 Lewis 46-8O 1,649,374 11/27 Von Zundel et al 4686 1,723,343 8/29 Ferrill 46--86 2,380,223 7/45 Dodds 4686 2,568,475 9/51 Vaughan 4686 3,006,109 10/61 Boese 46-74 RICHARD C. PINKHAM, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN AERIAL TOY COMPRISING A FINGER IN SIMULATION OF A MAN, COMPRISED OF (1) A SOLID HEAD AND SHOULDER PORTION INCLUDING A CHIN FORMING A PROTUBERANCE AND A ADJACENT NECK FORMING A RECESSION ADAPTED FOR THE RECEPTION OF A LONGITUDINALLY UPWARDLY DIRECTED HAND-HELDSPROPELLING SLING MEMBER TO LAUNCH THE TOY UPWARD IN HEAD FIRST RELATION, (2) A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING BLOCK-LIKE HOLLOW BODY PORTION INTEGRAL WITH AND TAPERING INWARDLY AWAY FROM THE SHOULDERS OF SAID HEAD AND SHOULDER PORTION, AND TERMINATING IN A PLANAR BOTTON WALL COMPLETELY CLOSING THE END OF SAID BODY PORTION, (3) A PLANAR DOOR WITH HINGE MEANS ADJACENT THE REAR OF THE SHOULDER PORTION, SAID DOOR EXTENDING TO SAID BOTTOM WALL SO AS TO COMPLETELY CLOSE THE BACK OF THE HOLLOW BODY PORTION, AND SO AS TO BE SWINGABLE UPWARDLY AND AWAY FROM SAID HOLLOW BODY PORTION, (4) A LIGHT CONTRACTABLE ELASTIC BAND MEANS FASTENED TO AND EXTENDING FROM THE BACK OF THE HEAD PORTION, THEN KINKED OVER THE HINGE MEANS OF THE DOOR AND THEN PASSING ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF THE DOOR AND FINALLY FASTENED TO AND TERMINATING IN A MEDIAL PORTION OF SAID DOOR, (5) AN ADDED WEIGHT MEANS SECURELY HELD WITHIN THE OUTLINE OF SAID HEAD PORTION OF SUCH MAGNITUDE AS TO INSURE A UNIFORM ANGLED UPRIGHT FIGURE POSITION DURING THE ASCENDING FLIGHT, AND A LIFELIKE SIMULATION OF A FLYING OBJECT DURING DESCENDING FLIGHT, (6) AND A ROLLED AND A SERPENTINE CONFIGURATED PARACHUTE NORMALLY PACKED IN THE HOLLOW PORTION OF SAID BODY AND HAVING CORDS ATTACHED TO THE INSIDE OF THE BOTTOM OF SAID DOOR. 